Egypt’s new president, Mohammed Morsi, paid tribute on Friday to
Egypt´s Muslims and Christians and symbolically swore himself in as
the country´s first elected civilian president before a huge crowd at
Tahrir Square.

AFP reported that Morsi was received with applause by the tens of
thousands of people gathered in the birthplace of the revolt that
overthrew his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, last year.

He promised a “civilian state” and praised “the square of the
revolution, the square of freedom,” in what he called an address
to “the free world, Arabs, Muslims... the Muslims of Egypt,
Christians of Egypt.”

Morsi symbolically swore himself in before the crowd, saying, “I
swear to preserve the republican system... and to preserve the
independence” of Egypt.

AFP noted that in his speech, Morsi served the United States with
advance warning that his politics will be markedly different from
those of his ousted predecessor.

He told the Tahrir crowd he would work to secure freedom for Omar
Abdul Rahman, a blind Egyptian cleric jailed for life over the 1993
World Trade Centre bombing.

“I will do everything in my power to secure freedom for... detainees,
including Sheikh Omar Abdul Rahman,” Morsi was quoted by AFP as
having said.

Abdul Rahman was convicted in 1995 for his role in the World Trade
Centre bombing, plotting to bomb other New York targets including the
United Nations, and a plan to assassinate Mubarak.

The presidency announced late on Thursday that Morsi would officially
be sworn in Saturday before the Constitutional Court, after
differences with the army over the transfer of power to the nation´s
first civilian president.

Traditionally the president takes the oath in parliament, but Egypt´s
top court ordered the disbanding of the Islamist-dominated
legislature. AFP noted that by agreeing to be sworn in by the
Constitutional Court, Morsi is effectively acknowledging the court´s
decision to dissolve parliament.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Egyptian newspaper editors reported by
most dailies on Friday, Morsi pledged there would be "no Islamization
of state institutions" during his presidency.

However, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) has
reported that during his election campaign, Morsi reiterated his
commitment to jihad and to the Islamic sharia law.

Morsi made the remarks in a speech broadcast on May 13 on the
Egyptian Misr 25 television network. His remarks in Arabic were
translated to English by MEMRI.

“The Koran was and will continue to be our constitution,” the Muslim
Brotherhood candidate said. “The Koran is our constitution. The
prophet Muhammad is our leader. Jihad is our path. And death for the
sake of Allah is our most lofty aspiration.”